by Izzy Shows
“I will not be denied,” Bael said, his eyes still locked on me. “Malphas’ forces are holding the border in check for now. They will keep for a while longer. I will not give Malphas the time to spirit the little mortal away again once this war is over.”
“Fine.” I crossed my arms. “I’ll do your little battle.”
“Blair, no!” Malphas looked at me in horror. “You cannot survive that. I’ll handle this.”
“I don’t belong to you, Malphas,” I said coolly. “It’s not up to you to defend me.”
“I won’t kill her.” Bael idly waved one hand. “I only want to break her enough so she will know her proper owner. She does not respect you. You should have taken care of this long ago, brother.”
Malphas’ upper lip curled back in a snarl. “Our blood will not stop me from killing you, brother.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said. “Because this isn’t about you, Malphas. Drop it.”
Bael grinned. “Yes, brother, drop it. The mortal has spoken.”
“Blair…” Malphas’ eyes pleaded with me. I shook my head.
“We will fight,” Bael said. “And I will own you.”
Chapter 32
It was a short walk to the ritual room, but the tension amidst the group of brothers was palpable. Bael didn’t look quite as sure of himself as he had back in the meeting room. But perhaps that was attributable to the deadly looks Malphas sent him.
I was trying to take control of the situation. I worried that if this went against me, Malphas would kill his brother anyway.
I didn’t want to be the divide in his family. I wasn’t sure how demon families worked, but I needed to prove no one owned me so they would stop fighting over me.
And what about when he wins? Did you think about that? He’ll own you, and he won’t be as gentle as Malphas.
I flinched. I couldn’t let Bael win, no matter what happened. I would not submit to anyone. If he thought he could break me, he had another thing coming.
We entered the ritual room, which was a dark chamber made of colored marble on the floors and walls. A crystal sat on an altar positioned in the middle of the room. What was that there for? I assumed I’d probably find out soon enough.
Malphas took me by the crook of my arm and led me to one corner. His evident distress tugged at my heartstrings. I felt the urge to reassure him, but I couldn’t find the words to do so. I was doing this as much for him as I was for me, but he wouldn’t understand that.
“Please, Blair, don’t do this.” His voice low enough that his brothers wouldn’t hear. “Let me handle this.”
I quirked one eyebrow. “And how do you plan to do that?”
“I’ll fight Bael.” He shrugged a shoulder. “It will be easy.”
I blanched. “But then what would happen?”
“Either he would die or I would. But it would be no contest. Killing him would be easy enough.”
“I touched his upper arm. He flinched but had a longing look in his eyes. “I don’t want you to kill your brother for me.”
“Blair, I’d kill a thousand demons for you,” he whispered, pained reflected in his eyes. “How do you not understand how much you mean to me? Don’t risk yourself. Let me do it.”
I shook my head. “I’m handling this myself.”
“If the two lovebirds are done whispering to one another, I’d like to get on with this,” Bael said dryly. “I thought all of you were in a hurry.”
Malphas glared at his brother over my shoulder. “I’m giving you one last chance to stop this, Bael. One way or another, this will not end well for you.”
“You wouldn’t.” Bael’s voice wavered. He wasn’t so sure that was true.
“I would, a thousand times over,” Malphas said.
“We’ll see about that.”
Bael’s jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides. He didn’t believe his brother would kill him. No doubt, Malphas had never behaved like this before. They probably couldn’t comprehend how a mortal could come between them. I didn’t either. Why did Malphas care so much about me that he would destroy his own brother?
This was my fault. Malphas had tried to avoid a confrontation this the whole time, but I had forced his hand. I didn’t regret it, though. He needed to understand ending our friendship wasn’t the solution.
Friendship. That’s a good name for it.
“The Battle of the Souls is relatively simple.” Bael gestured for me to meet him at the ritual stone. “We will both bleed upon the stone, and then our souls will be transferred to another realm to do battle. You can end the battle at any time by verbally forfeiting. Death will also end the battle, of course.”
I approached him and then shrugged. “Let’s get this over with, so we can get back to what matters.”
His eyes gleamed. “You will be doing nothing after this other than be chained to my bed.”
I scoffed. “Maybe in your dreams.”
“The mortal is right. We have business to attend to,” said Asmodeus.
Bael picked up the ritual knife beside the stone, cut his hand, and held it out, so his blood dripped onto the stone. I did the same.
Nothing happened until I felt a tugging sensation in my soul. The world blurred around me. I stood in a large compound type room very similar to the one Malphas had commandeered for us to train in when I’d been trying to control the demon mark.
I glanced down and saw I was wearing a simple white dress made in a medieval chemise style. Bael wore a plain white linen shirt and tan breeches, much the same as Valefor was wearing back in the real world.
I didn’t see him holding any weapons. At least, we were on an even playing field.
“Are you ready?” He sauntered toward me.
I quirked an eyebrow. “How are we fighting? Magic?”
“In a sense. You will use the power of your soul to fight mine.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t have a soul.”
“As a Fallen, I do.” He grinned. “I am no ordinary demon. You should have considered that before you agreed.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you are. I’m still not submitting to you.”
His eyes darkened. “We shall see about that.”
He extended his hand. Black energy exploded out of it and headed straight for me. I delved deep inside me to grab the power of my soul, bypassing my magic. I pulled it out and flung it forward to deflect his energy.
My soul appeared as a shimmering energy, a mingling of pale, blue like ice and a white reminiscent of snow with a purple tinge. It spread and shielded me from the impact of his blackened soul.
He snarled. As my protection dissipated, he threw bolt after bolt of energy. I scrambled to deflect his blows, but he launched them faster than I could keep up with.
One of his bolts broke through, too fast for me to defend against, and tore into my shoulder.
I was good with pain. I almost never react aloud to it. But fuck, it hurt so much a tortured scream tore out of my throat. His soul burned through my body, a blackness that would taint me if I let it go too deep.
I aimed my power like the ice sickles I threw with my ice wand switching to an offensive strategy. But he was so fast I couldn’t manage to do more than dodge the torrent of bolts. There were plenty I failed to avoid, too. They seared through my thighs, calves, and even gut as I weaved around the room.
He was beating the shit out of me. I started to doubt my ability to survive. Emily had warned me I couldn’t go toe to toe with a Fallen. I should have listened. Who the hell did I think I was to withstand this kind of fight?
I didn’t see the next bolt coming, and it speared straight into my chest, hitting me such force I flew back through the air and crashed against the floor of the compound. My head smacked against the concrete floor with a sickening crack. Stars danced in my vision, and all the air was driven from my lungs.
A piercing sound was ringing in my ears. It took a moment for me to realize it was my screams.
&n
bsp; Thank the gods only Bael is here to hear me scream.
It was the first conscious thought I had in the several minutes after biting the dust. A laugh bubbled up and out of me. Did it matter who heard me? Sure, it was somewhat humiliating, but I’d never prepared for this kind of pain.
I struggled to a kneeling position. Bael stood over me. He grabbed my hair and lifted me up, so I was dangling before him.
He smirked. “Do you yield?” Yield and submit, and this will end.”
I spat in his face with actual spit. He jerked back. “Fuck you,” I snarled.
A surge of soul power flared out from all sides of me and slammed into his chest. The impact drove him back and forced him to let go of me.
I fell to my knees, nerve endings shrieking at the pain, but I swallowed a scream with practiced ease. This was nothing compared to the pain his soul had forced upon me.
Without standing first, I sent bolt after bolt of my soul at him, tearing through his flesh as he remained stunned, unable to collect himself and attack.
I can do this. I can win.
With a savage yell, black energy exploded from him and devoured my bolts of energy and hurled them into me. I couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. I choked on the pain. My vision went dark, and everything sounded far away.
A hand closed around my throat and dragged me back to my feet. A fist slammed into the side of my head, and then into my gut.
“Yield, bitch.”
“Fuck…you…” I choked out, sparing precious breaths to say the words.
He snarled and punched me again. He pressed a hand against the center of my chest, his fingers splayed.
At first, I thought this was a failed attempt at groping me, but then a burning sensation ripped into my chest.
Oh, gods, what is this?
It hurt so much. It felt like something had speared straight into my soul. There was a shredding sensation. Feeling so weak, I wilted in his grasp.
“I own your soul, little mortal. A piece of it, anyway.”
Though my vision was dim, I saw him smirk. He held the piece of me in his hands, that wisp of blue/white/purple energy and—
With a sudden jerk, I was back in my body and gasping for air.
The fuck? I didn’t yield, and neither did he…
And then I heard a terrible snarling and growling like a rabid animal had been loosed. I was back in the ritual room. I scrambled to my feet, but as soon as I stood, I stumbled. I would have fallen if it hadn’t been for the strong arm that caught me.
I looked up at my savior. Asmodeus had a grim look on his face.
“Wha—”
A roar reverberated through the room, deafening my ears. I cringed, covering them, and looked for the source of the sound.
Malphas.
He looked more animal than man, his face contorted in rage. He was pounding on his brother. My jaw dropped as I watched, frozen in place, at the display of raw violence. I’d never seen anyone look so vicious before. He was beating the shit out of Bael, intent on killing him with his bare hands.
“Malphas!” My voice came out weak and raspy. I took a step toward him, but Asmodeus tightened his hold on my arm.
“Don’t. He won’t recognize you right now. He might harm you,” he said.
I jerked out of his hold. “Why aren’t any of you stopping this?”
Valefor, Marchosias, and Asmodeus exchanged looks, their eyes wary.
“If we interfere, he might consider it is taking Bael’s side, and kill us as well.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I stormed over to Malphas. “Bunch of fucking pussies.”
I activated the strength tattoo on my ankle and kicked him right in the ribcage. Just kicked him once, and it sent him flying off of his brother.
He smashed into the altar housing the ritual stone. Springing to his feet, his eyes utterly feral, he pulled his lips back into a snarl.
I stepped over Bael and approached Malphas as you would a wounded animal.
Because that was precisely what he’d become.
I held up my hands and made a soothing sound. “It’s all right, Malphas. I’m here. I’m fine.”
He gnashed his teeth. His eyes, previously locked on Bael, flickered to me briefly before looking back at Bael.
“Come on, Malphas,” I said, keeping my voice soft. “Come back to me.”
I stood in front of him and cupped his face with both hands. He flinched. A low growl was building in his throat as I stroked his cheek.
“It’s me. It’s Blair. I’m right here,” I whispered.
The burning in his eyes slowly died. He looked at me—really looked—and I saw him return from the beast he’d become.
He panted heavily. “Blair.”
“I’m all right,” I assured.
He pulled me tight against his chest and uttered a string of words in that language that burned my ears. Stroking my hair, he tucked his chin over my head. He held me like that for a long moment before pulling me to his side, one arm still protectively around me.
Bael climbed back to his feet, his face barely recognizable, and spat out blood onto the floor. He muttered something while rubbing his fingers, and the piece of my soul appeared in his hand. He stared at us, curiosity etched on his face, and then back at the soul he held.
“Very interesting.”
Malphas snarled. “If you so much as look at her wrong, I’ll tear you limb from limb and feed the pieces into the lake of fire.”
His other brothers gaped at him with a wariness in their eyes, and Bael flinched. He snapped his fingers, and the piece of my soul disappeared.
I felt it missing from inside me. .What could he do with a piece of my soul?
“That won’t be necessary.” Asmodeus raised his eyebrows at Bael. “Right?”
Bael took a moment and then grunted.
“Fine. A temporary truce until we deal with Zepar,” he said.
Malphas snarled, apparently not satisfied.
“We’ll continue the discussion after,” said Bael.
I didn’t know if he was suicidal or what. He’d have died just then without my intervention, but I wasn’t going to argue with him anymore. It would accomplish nothing. Bael was nearly as stubborn as Malphas.
Malphas’ arm tightened around me. I placed a hand on his chest. “Let’s go. It’s enough, for now.”
He pressed his lips together, clearly not wanting to let it go, but finally, he jerked his head in an abrupt nod.
“Go and treat with Zepar,” he snapped at Bael. “Negotiate a peace. Get the fuck out of my realm before I start another war.”
I flinched at the venom in his voice, even though his words weren’t directed at me.
There was no doubt left in my mind that he would ever harm me intentionally. Emily was right. He cared.
Chapter 33
Malphas might have cared, but he sure as hell didn’t visit me later that day or even the next. After escorting me back to my room and giving Emily instructions to look after me, he left. His hands had shaken with barely contained rage the whole time we walked in silence to the room. I’d worried he would go back and finish redecorating Bael’s face with his fists.
But he’d agreed to leave it alone when I’d asked him to. He wouldn’t break his word.
To say that Emily was upset with me would be the understatement of the century. She lectured for a solid hour but eventually gave it up in favor of fussing over me. And for the most part, I felt fine, just a little weak from losing a piece of my soul. But the demon I’d summoned for directions to hell had said souls regenerated over time. So, all in all, I should return to normal, at least eventually.
Only, I didn’t know what Bael could do with the piece he stole, but I had a bad feeling that I would find out in the worst way, and soon.
Two mornings later, someone knocked at the door.
I opened the door. “Hello?”
“Madame Blair,” the demon said, bowing her han
d. “I am to escort you and your paramour to the council room for a war meeting.”
“Oh. Well, all right then.” I said. I glanced over my shoulder. Emily was already walking toward us. We followed the demon to the same meeting room I’d met the brothers. Everyone, except for Bael, was in attendance. And, surprisingly, Lilith was also there. I gave her a weak smile, and she winked.
Malphas sat at the head of the table his features dark and troubled. He appeared to have not slept since I’d last seen him. I was pretty sure Fallen didn’t need to sleep, but he looked haggard.
He gestured for us to take a seat in the two empty chairs on the left.
“Now that everyone is here, we can begin,” he said, his voice stern and commanding. “Zepar has rejected our attempt at peace. Not only that, but he is, apparently, holding Bael hostage.”
He didn’t sound too put out. He was probably more than willing to leave Bael in Zepar’s hands.
“We cannot allow that to stand,” Marchosias said, looking pointedly at Malphas. “It is a clear insult that he would hold one of us hostage.”
“How is he strong enough to do that?” I asked. “Aren’t you all equals?”
The four brothers glanced at Malphas. He had a small smirk on his lips, the first sign of emotion I’d seen from him that day.
“For the most part,” said Asmodeus. “But there are some small variances in power.”
“I’m going to take a wild guess. The closer your realm is to the inner ring, the stronger you are?”
“Very astute of you.” Asmodeus flashed me a kind smile. I got the feeling he meant the compliment. He was the only brother who treated me with respect. I had to wonder why. He seemed to desire a better relationship with Malphas, though, judging by his earlier words. He looked Malphas not as a man beaten into loyalty, but rather an estranged brother yearning for a familial bond.
“Zepar can hold Bael,” said Malphas. “And possibly kill him. Not that it would be a great loss.”
I sighed. “You can’t let him die. He’s your brother.”
